Document Type : Original Articles

Authors

• Maryam Delphi ¹
• Zeinab Aghajani ²
• Mahsa Bakhit ³
• Samaneh Hosseinzadeh ⁴
• Mohammad Hossein Nilforoush ⁵

¹ Academic Member, Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation Research Center, Ahwaz jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahwaz, AND PhD Student, Audiology department, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran

² BSc Student of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation, Ahwaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahwaz, Iran

³ Academic member, Department of Audiology Masculoskeletal Rehabilitation Research Center, Ahwaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahwaz, Iran

⁴ PhD of biostatistics, Department of Biostatistics, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran

⁵ Academic Member, Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

AbstractIntroduction:Noise exposure is the most common cause of tinnitus. A comprehensive assessment of tinnitus and its impact on the quality of life cannot be achieved merely by evaluating the psychoacoustic characteristics of tinnitus. This study aimed at exploring the potential relationship between tinnitus psychoacoustic characteristics and the resulting handicap.Materials and Methods: In this descriptive - analytical study, 20 industrial workers suffering from hearing loss and tinnitus completed the Tinnitus Handicap Index questionnaire (THI) and then underwent psychoacoustic evaluations.Results: The mean and standard deviation of THI was 53.7±25.8. The results indicated a positive significant correlation between the duration and loudness of tinnitus and THI scores (p-value ˂ 0.05). No statistically significant correlations were observed between PTA, SDS and other psychoacoustic parameters and THI (p-value ˃ 0.05).Conclusion: The psychoacoustic evaluations are not valid indicators of tinnitus impacts on patients’ quality of lives. Combined administration of psychoacoustic tests and questionnaires would provide a more comprehensive assessment of tinnitus.Keywords:tinnitus, industrial noise, tinnitus handicap inventory